Browsing Tag

water

Posted on November 25, 2014

Healthy Chai Latte (Vegan & Sugar-free)

recipes

healthy chai latte

Since I’m slowly getting into the holiday spirit, I thought I’d be the perfect time for me to share a warming recipe that might get you to jump into the bandwagon as well – sorry, to all the Grinches out there!

This Chai latte is comforting, festive and you can even experiment with your favourite spices. Although it doesn’t have much nutritional value, your body won’t hate you for having one or two – especially since most Chai’s are saturated with sugar, dairy and calories.

So if you’re a Chai lover or a Chai-virgin, then do give this recipe a try! It doesn’t take very long to make, it’s pretty tasty and apparently Chai lattes are meant to be an aphrodisiac (do as you please with this information) J

Here’s what you need to get started:

Directions:

  1. Put the water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil.
  2. Add in the grated ginger, along with all the spices and stir while heating up.
  3. Turn down the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Remove from the heat and allow to steep for about 15 minutes or until the liquid takes on the flavour of the spices.
  5. Return the saucepan to the head and boil.
  6. Add the tea bags, stir and then remove from the heat.
  7. Allow to brew for about 6 minutes (or longer, if you want the tea flavour to be strong).
  8. Use a sieve to strain the tea into a separate saucepan and then discard the tea bags and any spice residue.
  9. Mix in the honey and almond milk and then return to a medium heat.
  10. Serve after 5 – 6 minutes.

Notes: If you have a milk frother, froth the milk before putting adding it in. Let the tea cool down before putting into an airtight container. Keep refrigerated for up to 6 days.

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Posted on November 5, 2014

Homemade Nutella

How To/ recipes

healthy nutella

All you Nutella fans are probably reading this with disgust and thinking ‘How could any homemade chocolate spread compare to the one you buy in the shop – especially to Nutella.

Believe it or not, it is possible to find a good recipe for a homemade chocolate spread that tastes even remotely like the store-bought stuff.  If you ever dared to search for a recipe online, you’d find that there are more than just a few floating around the net that don’t quite cut it.

This recipe however, is probably the closest you’d get to the real stuff and best of all, it is dairy-free and refined sugar-free too!

What you’ll need:

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 150C, then arrange the hazelnuts on a lined and rimmed baking tray.
  2. Toast the nuts for about 20 minutes and once the skins begin to crack, remove from heat and allow to cool.
  3. Remove as much skin from the nuts by rubbing them in a clean kitchen towel – don’t worry if you don’t manage to get it all off!
  4. Put the peeled nuts in a food processor and then process until creamy. You can stop to scrape down the sides if needs be.
  5. Once you have a smooth butter (usually takes about 5 – 6 minutes with a decent food processor), add the coconut sugar, cocoa powder, coconut oil and 3 tbsp of water and blend, blend, blend!
  6. Taste the mixture once it is well combined and add tbsp of pure maple syrup if it isn’t sweet enough for your taste buds. It will also give your chocolate spread that glossy look Nutella has (as if it isn’t irresistible enough as it is, right?)
  7. Keep processing the mixture until it reaches your desired consistency. If it’s too thick, add one tbsp of water at a time (5 tbsp are usually enough).
  8. Store the finished spread in a sealed container in the fridge for no more than a week.
  9. Enjoy!

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Posted on August 14, 2014

6 beauty tips for getting rid of dark circles

maintenance/ Natural beauty/ Tips

beauty tips

We’ve all been there: that one week where you’re overloaded with work overload and you just can’t seem to catch a break. That one time you desperately need a few hours of self-pampering – except when you finally do get the chance, you completely regret looking at your reflection in the mirror.

Yes, we’ve all been there.

Dark circles can be a total beauty nightmare and more often than not, they are usually a sign of sleep deprivation – unless of course you’ve had them all your life (our genes don’t always work in our favour).

When it comes to treating dark circles, one of the most common remedies is to cut a few slices of cucumbers and put them over your eyelids. But in severe case, cucumbers just won’t work and you will have to try a few other things to conquer this beauty problem:

1. Get more sleep
Of course a full night of shut-eye won’t keep dark circles at bay, but since a lot of the times dark circles are a sign of sleep deprivation, it’s a good idea to clock in a few more hours in La La Land.

2. Drink more water
In some cases, dehydration can be the cause of dark circles. Try your best to get at least eight glasses of water each day. If you get bored of drinking normal water, you could be more adventurous and try one of these.

lemon water

3. Maybe some milk
The protein and enzymes in milk can help heal certain skin problems. Dab a bit of cotton into chilled milk and apply it over your eyelids for about 15 minutes. Do this a couple of times a week until you see results.

4. Watch your diet
Dark circles can also be a sign of a poor diet. Lay off the junk and try to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables – eventually it will shine through in your face.

5. Almond oil
Apply a few drops of almond oil around your dark circles and gently massage it in before you go to bed. This natural oil will help moisturise and lighten this part of your skin.

6. Rose water
Soak some cotton wool into rose water and apply over eyelids for 10 – 15 minutes. This will help rejuvenate the skin around your eye area, giving it a brighter appearance.

Do you have any tips for easing dark circles around the eyes? If so, feel free to share them with me!

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Posted on May 10, 2014

Energising carrot juice

Not so guilty pleasure/ recipes

energising

Carrots are full of vitamins and minerals. They contain vitamins A, C and E, all needed for good eyesight, a better immune system and maintaining healthy cells – but it doesn’t end there.

Since they’re also loaded with antioxidants, a regular consumption of carrots (or this energising carrot juice) can help promote glowing skin.

You ready to get started?  Here’s what you need:

2 large carrots
Thumb-size piece of ginger
Zest of lemon
Honey (optional)

1.Throw everything into a blender with water and process it until it gets frothy.
2.Filter the mixture into a glass using a sieve or a cheese cloth.
3.Put the remainder back in the blender with more water and repeat.
4.Serve right away or keep in the fridge.

Note: Carrots are naturally sweet so you don’t need to add any honey to it. For extra hydration, you can add some celery to the juice!

Let me know how you get on with this!

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Posted on May 30, 2013

Thermal Water

product review/ Youthful Skin

thermal water

I’ve always thought that hot bottles were a great idea! You feel cold, heat up some water, put it in you bottle and voila! you instantly  feel warm! I thought, who ever came up with that is a genius…… and then I thought, well maybe not! why don’t cold water bottles exist?? I mean we don’t have too many options when we’re too warm, and the ones we currently have, never get the job done quite right!
Well let me tell you, that very thought escaped me ever so quickly, after having used one of the most refreshing summer products that are presently out there : thermal water
Thermal water is a miracle water which essentially soothes and refreshes your face with a single spray!  Now I haven’t gone crazy yet so this isn’t all  in my head, the reason why thermal water has the ability to do this is because it comes from the untouched waters (untouched by humans anyways) of the beautiful glaciers and lakes of France. Meaning it’s filled with essential minerals and nutrients that you would never find in still water, or better yet, tap water.
What better substance to put on your face than one that has been untouched by humans in a multi-mineral environment? 
 The debate between La Roche Posay thermal water and Avene thermal water will always be ongoing, as both French brands are absolutely amazing!  (leave it to the French to perfect something as simple as water!)  and believe it or not, but  both products are equally effective!
So why should you include this in your hand luggage?
One reason being that there is nothing worse than travelling while you’re too warm. You’re flushed, you feel like you’re sweating and you just want to shower really!  What can be worse than that? Well how about arriving  to your destination without freshening up at all!? that really sounds like a nightmare for me, one that could and should  be avoided with a travel size thermal water spray.
It’s a simple solution! All you do is spray this directly on you’re face 2 to 3 times a day, especially when you start feeling warm. No rest room required, no mirror required, nada! After a few spritz and you will instantly feel your skin coming back to life! Also, the French have soooo much respect for their wine, so you could only imagine how much respect they have for something as natural and pure as thermal water!
For me it all comes down to packaging, I have yet to see a travel size thermal spray by La Roche Posay, so if you’re ad bad as me with kilos, then I suggest you get the travel size Avene one which is just under 7euro! If you’re willing to give this miracle water some extra space in your bag, then why not go for La Roche Posay! Just remember you will be storing this in a fridge so not too sure how good a big bottle would look in one!
Have you tried any of the three in the picture above? If so, what do you make of it?
Here are a few reviews you could check out:
http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp/ItemId=16027/Thermal_Water/Avene_/Skincare_-_Face
http://www.skinstore.com/p-9468-avene-thermal-spring-water.aspx
http://www.aveneusa.com/thermal-spring-water/
http://www.cherrysuedointhedo.com/2012/05/thermal-spring-water-its-very-many-uses.html

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